In the last few decades, superhero films have absolutely taken Hollywood into a chokehold.
Some characters, however, have a bigger impact on cinema than others.
Some superhero characters just recently became massive, and others have been around since as early as 1978.
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When she first made her appearance inIron Man 2, she blew audiences' minds.
Deadpool isthe ultimate underdog superhero story.
WithoutDeadpool’s success, the studios wouldn’t have the courage to make gems likeLogan.
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He also is the first official Fox Marvel character to transition to the MCU withDeadpool & Wolverine.
He serves as a look at what America should be.
Suddenly,female-led superhero movies didn’t seem like such a wild idea.
AsDeadpooldid for R-rated cape flicks,Wonder Womanmade it more possible for the ladies to take center stage.
The character is known for having actors that brought him to life with career and medium-defining performances.
4Iron Man (Tony Stark)
Played by Robert Downey Jr.
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There’s no question as to why Iron Man is one of the most important characters in cinema.
The now-Oscar winner delivered a career-defining performance that people fell in love with.
He served asthe narrative connective tissue for the entire seriesuntil his tragic death inAvengers: Endgame.
The character himselfboth in film and media overallserves asa core blueprint to many hero origin storiesthat would come after.
The Man of Steel is a symbol of hope.
Such a feeling cannot be recreated elsewhere.
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Without his first film debut,Superman: The Movie, projects likeTim Burton’sBatmanandSam Raimi’sSpider-Manwould never have happened.
In pretty much every way that counts, Superman isthe foundation of superhero movies as an entire medium.
AlongsideX-Men, the firstSpider-Manmovie also helped really kick off the early 2000s boom in superhero film popularity.
Just like in all other forms of media, Spidey is one ofthe most profitable superheroes in cinema.
NEXT:10 Movies To Watch if You Love Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’
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